Attachment of picks on track-packing machines



Dec. 13, 1955 F. SCHNELLMANN 26,

ATTACHMENT OF PICKS ON TRACK-PACKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 27, 1953 Inventor Ferd/nandSc/meflmann By his affomeys United States Patent Ofi 2,726,871 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 ice ATTACHMENT F PICKS 0N TRACK-PACZGNG MACHINE Application February 27, 1953, Serial No. 339,431 Claims priority, application Germany August 15, 1952 4 Claims. (Cl. 279-41) The present invention is for improvements in or relating to picks and in particular to picks which are employed in conjunction with railroad track-packing machines or ballast tamping machines for railroad track.

The attachment of the picks on railroad track-packing or tamping machines has normally been efiected by a substantially conically shaped end of the pick being inserted into a complementary bore in the pick arm. However, in the rough work that is performed by track-packing machines, the cone surface of the pick is easily damaged and thus the bore in the pick arm easily becomes damaged, and thereafter time and money are involved in repair work.

According to the present invention, there is provided the attachment of a pick on track-packing machines, wherein that part of a pick by which it is clamped is smooth and cylindrical and engages in a slotted sleeve of the pick arm, the said slotted sleeve being tightened by a plurality of screws adapted to cause gripping of the pick at longitudinally separated points.

The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate in side and rear elevation one embodiment of my pick and the pick arm to which it is attached.

Referring to the drawings, a pick 1 is provided with a generally cylindrical clamping part or engageable end 2. Means are provided for clamping and reciprocating the pick 1. Thus a pick arm 3 comprises a sleeve-like attachment 4 which is provided with a slot 5 and clamping screws 6. The cylindrical clamping part 2 is inserted into the sleeve-like attachment 4 and the said sleeve is tightened upon the part 2 by means of the clamping screws 6. It will be noted that the sleeve 4 lies substantially within the main part of the arm 3. "Die screws 6 preferably pass through the arm proper as Well as clamping the attachment 4. It will also be noted that the arm 3 proper is of greater width than the cylindrical sleeve 4. In this way the strength and rigidity necessary to withstand the racking strains of tamping are fully provided against.

It will, accordingly, be apparent that the pick arm 3 is formed at its pick-clamping end as a unitary longitudinally-slotted sleeve 4 having perforated substantially parallel longitudinal flanges 7 extending outwardly therefrom on each side of its slot 5. The bolts or clamping screws 6 extend through both perforated flanges 7 and may be turned to bring the flanges together, thus reducing the diameter of the sleeve, and clamp the pick to the pick arm.

Furthermore, it is preferred so to form the engageable end of the pick that it terminates in a transverse web 8 which is received in a transverse groove 9 at the inner end of the sleeve 4 when the pick is clamped in the pick arm. By virtue of this arrangement, rotation of the pick with respect to the pick arm is positively prevented.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pick arm and pick for a track-packing machine comprising a reciprocating pick arm provided with a slotted sleeve and a plurality of screws passing through the arm proper and the sleeve adapted to cause a gripping action by the sleeve at longitudinally separated points in combination with a pick having a smooth, generally cylindrical upper end, adapted to fit in the slotted sleeve of the arm and be gripped by action of the screws.

2. A pick arm and pick for a track-packing machine according to claim 1 in which a sleeve mounted on the pick arm proper is of lesser width than the arm proper in the plane of its reciprocation of the arm.

3. In a ballast tamping machine for railroad track, a pick having formed thereon a substantially cylindrical engageable end, a pick-reciprocating pick arm clamping the engageable end of said pick, said pick arm being formed at its pick-clamping end as a unitary longitudinally slotted sleeve having perforated substantially parallel longitudinal flanges extending outwardly therefrom on each side of its slot in the plane of its reciprocation, and bolts extending through both perforated flanges of the unitary sleeve formed on said pick arm for reducing the diameter of the sleeve and clamping said pick to said pick arm.

4. In a ballast tarnping machine for railroad track, a pick having formed thereon a substantially cylindrical engageable end terminating in a transverse web; a pickreciprocating pick arm clamping the engageable end of said pick, said pick arm being formed at its pick-clamping end as a unitary longitudinally slotted sleeve having a transverse groove at its inner end for receiving the terminal transverse web of said pick to prevent rotation of said pick when clamped by said pick arm, such sleeve also having perforated substantially parallel longitudinal flanges extending outwardly therefrom on each side of its slot in the plane of its reciprocation; and bolts extending through both perforate-d flanges of the unitary sleeve formed on said pick arm for reducing the diameter of the sleeve and clamping said pick to said pick arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 729,004 Starrett May 26, 1903 1,445,234 Palmer Feb. 13, 1923 1,641,038 Koppin Aug. 30, 1927 

